


Sometimes We Need Help

by sweetkpopfan



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Because of course he is, Domestic Fluff, Family, Fluff, Johnyong, M/M, Parenthood, Romance, Single Parents, also taeyong is a parent to the dreamies, also there is a mention of a character that died, but that's all, i am so weak for domestic johnyong, it's just sugar sweet fluff all the way, this is a word vomit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-30
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-11-06 21:22:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11044593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetkpopfan/pseuds/sweetkpopfan
Summary: Lee Taeyong, a single father of four, finally gets some time to himself by helping to organize his best friend’s wedding. He hires Johnny Seo, a regular babysitter on Thursday and Friday nights to take care of his children, who is both excellent at childcare and fucking gorgeous.





	Sometimes We Need Help

**Author's Note:**

> i highkey ship them. Domestic fluff needs to be a thing. I recommend you guys listen to the Goblin ost piano version while reading this, it does help set the mood XD

                It started off with twins.

                When Jeno and Jaemin were born, Lee Taeyong prayed to the heavens and thanked every God he knew to be blessed with two beautiful baby boys. Of course, nobody told him that those two innocent babies would grow to be rambunctious children with crayon covered fingers and scars on their faces from climbing trees, but Taeyong would prefer to see that as an ‘oversight in planning’.

                Then came Chenle. His wife at that time was obsessed with Chinese dramas, and insisted on giving the child a Chinese name (which was fitting because she was Chinese anyways). Chenle took after his mother. Small eyes, dimples at the side of his face and a loud, high pitched laughter that was more of a mating call for birds rather than a laughter.

                Lastly, there was his pride and joy. The baby of the family. The most precious object known to humankind (aside from the three before). His last son was named Jisung, after the famous football player. His wife could not live long enough to see Jisung take his first step, and soon Lee Taeyong became a widow to 4 sons.

                Taeyong did everything he could as a single father. Thankfully his job good enough to afford him tons of diapers and baby formula, and his parents were understanding enough to take in the family of five for a little while and help raise the children until they were slightly older. Jeno and Jaemin are now 7 years old, and they are capable of taking Chenle to preschool, making milk bottles for Jisung and even helping their father with the laundry.

                Between his 9-5 job at the law firm and 25/7 hour childcare, Lee Taeyong has been all and burnt out. He insisted on raising all four children by himself instead of burdening his parents, and if you ask anyone, especially his best friend and long-time colleague Kim Doyoung, he has been doing an exceptional job. When he asked Taeyong to help plan his upcoming wedding, he knew Taeyong would find it impossible to say no.

                “There is no one better than you at this.” Doyoung said, sitting at a table filled with catalogues and catering menus. “You enjoy doing this kind of stuff. Remember how you planned Jaemin and Jeno’s birthday party last year?”

                “Yeah that was fun.” Taeyong smiled. “Nothing beats a summer birthday than a beach party.”

                “It’s just like you to take on a job that requires you to micro-manage and organize everything to perfection.” Doyoung smirked. “Most people would rather gouge their eyes out but you seem to enjoy being a control freak.”

                “It’s relaxing for me in some way.” Taeyong said. “It’s like I’m putting my life in order.”

                “Which is why I hired you as my wedding planner, you are the only person who understands me.” Doyoung fished out a catering menu from the pile on the table. “Look at this. I can’t believe the company said no when I asked for Norwegian salmon and Egyptian caviar as hors d’oeuvres.”

                “You are also the only person in South Korea who wants crystals on his wedding cake.” Taeyong sighed. “Thank god you are marrying Jaehyun. You are such a pain in the ass.”

                “Literally.” Doyoung wriggled his eyebrows naughtily and Taeyong pushed him over. “What are you going to do about the kids though?”

                “I hired a babysitter for two nights a week until the wedding. I asked my neighbour next door Yuta to recommend a sitter and he called him for me.”

                “Are you going to be okay with leaving your kids at home with a stranger?” Doyoung asked. “You know you could always bring them here with you.”

                “So I try to plan a wedding with a crying two year old in my arm, fighting twins and a singing robot in front of the TV? Forget it. If I’m going to do this, I need to do it right.” Taeyong shook his head. “Besides they are old enough to be entrusted in someone else’s care. Yuta and Sicheng have been using this sitter for almost two years and they highly recommended him. If something happens, Jeno will bite his ankles, Jaemin will run next door to call the police, Chenle could scream loud enough to alert the neighbourhood and Jisung would just poop all over the place so badly it would smell like a dump truck.”

                Doyoung and Taeyong laughed loudly, clinking their mugs of coffee.

******************

                “Daddy!!” Chenle ran up to his father with a book in his hands. “What’s this word?”

                “It’s pigeon, son. Pi-ge-on.”

                “Thank you Daddy!” Chenle went back to his corner, trying to read. No sooner than he returned, the two twins came running down the steps, grabbing each other’s sleeves.

                “Daddy tell him to take it off!!”

                “What’s wrong now?” Taeyong sighed, cradling Jisung in his arms and setting him down. “I haven’t fed Jisung yet.”

                “Daddy Jeno is wearing my sweater!”

                “No it’s not it’s my sweater!”

                “It is not it’s mine!!”

                “Is to!”

                “Is not!”

                “Is to!”

                “Is not!!”

                “Wait hang on a minute,” Taeyong turned Jeno around to check the label. “It’s Jeno’s name on the label. It’s his sweater.”

                “See I told you!!! You never believe anything I say!”

                “That’s because you are such a liar!!”

                “Guys guys guys!” Taeyong shushed them loudly. “Jaemin, come feed Jisung. I need to answer the door.” He stood up, brushing his hands against his pants as he sighed loudly. _Heaven forbid._

                “Hi, my name is Johnny.” A tall man in a white printed tee and jeans stood outside. Jeno was hiding behind Taeyong’s legs, sucking his thumb. “Hello there kiddo!”

                “Hi! My name is Jeno!”

                “You’ve met one of my sons, Jeno.” Taeyong smiled, patting the child on the head. “Come on in.” he made way for Johnny as the two of them entered the house, Jeno still hugging his father’s legs. Chenle saw a stranger make his way into the house, and he dropped his book to run next to his older brother.

                “That’s Jaemin, Jeno’s twin. This is Chenle and that’s Jisung, the youngest in the family.”

                “Hey kids! I’m Johnny-hyung.” Johnny smiled, leaning down to shake their hands. Jeno was already smiling his toothless smile, but Chenle was still shy as he refused to take Johnny’s hand.

                “I understand that you used to babysit for Yuta and Sicheng?”

                “I still do.” Johnny said, standing up to meet Taeyong. Taeyong then realized how big and beautiful his eyes were.

                “Well there are some instructions on the fridge. Bedtime for Jisung is 8pm, Chenle’s bed time is 8.30 pm and for the twins they should be asleep by 9pm. You can help yourself to anything, TV, WiFi, food and all that. Just ask the twins where everything is and they should be able to help you.”

                “No problem. Don’t worry Mr…”

                “Lee Taeyong. Just call me Taeyong.”

                “Don’t worry Taeyong, your kids are in good hands.”

                “Okay thank god.” Taeyong breathed a sigh of relief. “Kids, daddy’s going to go now. Listen to Johnny hyung and be good, okay?”

                “When will you be back daddy?” Chenle asked.

                “I’ll be back late, but I’ll see you in the morning, I promise.” Taeyong gave Chenle a kiss on the cheek and another on Jeno. He gave Jaemin a kiss as well and another for baby Jisung, whose adorable cheeks were all puffy and those beautiful eyes that resembled his seemed to wave goodbye at his father.

                “Bye kids, I’m going.”

                “Say goodbye to papa!” Johnny urged the kids to wave goodbye at their father. With one last wave, Taeyong left the house and almost screamed in jubilation/relief.

                As he walked down the driveway, he paused a little to turn, peeking into the house through the windows. Johnny has baby Jisung in his arms and Jeno and Jaemin seemed to be running somewhere again. His eyes travelled from a worried Chenle who seemed to be hiding in a corner, to sleepy Jisung, resting his head against Johnny’s broad shoulder and to the face of their new babysitter.

                Taeyong mentally slapped himself so that he could get going.

******************

                “I know it’s a tough ask, but do you think we could do the flowers in a lavender instead of pink?” Taeyong asked on the phone, his arms heavy with catalougues and brochures, his stomach feeling like they could burst from all the palette tasting he did with the newlyweds.

                “I would appreciate it if you could try your best. They really like that colour. Thank you.” Taeyong tried to balance the phone precariously between his shoulders and his cheek, one hand letting go off the brochures and trying to reach the knob. Before he turned the knob, be quickly pocketed his phone and leaned against the door.

                Silence.

                _This is bad. Either they are all asleep or everyone is dead._

                Taeyong opened the door and he nearly screamed in shock. There, in his living room, stood a half-naked man holding a knife in between a towel with streaks of red across his chest.

                “Taeyong! It’s you!”

                “Holy…what the…” Taeyong’s arms dropped everything in shock. “Oh my god what happened?”

                “This?” Johnny looked down as his naked chest embarrassingly, with some mysterious red liquid splattered on it. “Jaemin spilled his juice onto my shirt earlier during dinner so it’s in the washer now, and I was just cutting myself some fruit. I guess the fruit kind of got on me.”

                “Oh thank god.” Taeyong almost fell onto the floor with weak knees. “I thought…”

                “I was a serial killer?” Johnny laughed, helping Taeyong stand up straight. “Do I look like one?” he tried holding the knife near his head and made a face.

                “Sweet Jesus yes.” Taeyong clutched his chest with his hand, knees all wobbly as he came face to face, or rather face to right nipple on Johnny’s naked chest, which is _really broad and tan and he has some incredible pectorals. He must work out really often and are those abs and what the hell am I doing?!?!?_

                “Don’t worry, I cleaned up the mess in the kitchen. I’m just gonna put the knife back and clean myself up.”

                “I’ll do it.” Taeyong tugged Johnny’s arm, suddenly the two bodies were very close to each other. “I mean, I’ll keep the knife and you can clean up. I wasn’t actually going to help you clean up I just…”

                “Okay sure.” Johnny handed him the knife and the towel as he stepped back, turning to go into the bathroom. Taeyong flew to the kitchen, put the knife back and immediately splashed water all over his face.

                _What the hell is wrong with me?!?!?_

                “I put the children to bed, and I made them some spaghetti with Bolognese sauce, if that’s okay with you.”

                “Yeah of course.” Taeyong could not bring himself to look at Johnny, especially when he is still half naked and Taeyong was doing a fine imitation of a cooked lobster himself. Instead, he could see Johnny’s reflection in the window in front of him and _god damn it he still doesn’t have a shirt on!!_

                “Did you have a good time tonight?” Johnny asked. “Wherever it was you went.”

                “Oh, I was helping my best friend plan his wedding.”

                “You are a wedding planner?”

                “I wish.” Taeyong laughed. “I’m a lawyer.” In the reflection of the window, he could see Johnny reaching for a shirt and he breathed in relief as he turned around.

                “Is there a Mrs Lee in the house somewhere?” Johnny asked.

                “No, she passed on a year ago.”

                “Oh god I am so sorry.” Johnny nodded sympathetically. “To be a single father to 4 children, and at such a young age.”

                “We got married when we were in college.” Taeyong rubbed the back of his head nervously. “What about you? Do you do babysitting for a living?”               

                “Not really. I run a childcare centre.” Johnny smiled. “I don’t really babysit anymore, but Yuta is a long-time customer of mine so I couldn’t say no to him.”

                “Nobody can say no to Yuta.” Taeyong chuckled. “I think Sicheng tried to when they were first dating and look at them, married with two children.”

                “I’ll be back tomorrow. Same time?”

                “Yeah. I do hope my kids didn’t wear you out.”

                “Don’t worry, they were fine. I’m used to dealing with children. I deal with 35 in the day, what’s four of them at night?”

                “Thanks Johnny. Have a good night.”

                “You too Taeyong, and I am so sorry about just now.” Johnny shuffled his feet, face down in embarrassment. “I don’t usually strip naked in other people’s house it’s just…”

                “You know I always said that Jaemin’s two left feet would get someone in trouble, I just always thought it would be him.” Taeyong laughed, trying to ease the awkwardness. “Don’t worry about it. My home is your home.”

                The two of them bid farewell, as Taeyong closed the door, leaned back, and tried to calm his heart from thumping like a mad man.

******************

                Sometimes, the best parts of Thursdays and Fridays are not when Taeyong gets a break to be with his friends, but rather when he comes back from his meetings at Jaehyun’s house and opens the door to find Johnny, sitting on the couch waiting for him.

                Once, he found Johnny with Chenle in his arms, head leaning on his chest and limbs tangled carelessly around his neck and waist like a koala. Taeyong wanted to laugh at the sight but then he remembered Chenle was still asleep. Johnny explained that Chenle was refused to go to bed without listening to another bed time story, and he just slumped on top of Johnny, knocked out and headed for dream land.

                The other time he found Johnny covered in sticky notes and face covered in stickers. Taeyong really laughed at that one. Johnny explained that the kids wanted to play pirate, and whoever found the ‘booty’ got to unlock a secret stash of stickers and gold paper, which they proceeded to stick on Johnny.

                Taeyong had forgotten what it was like to have someone waiting for him at home. When he got home from work, his children were in tow because he picked them up from day care. After he put them to bed, he was usually too exhausted to even eat, so he would just go for a bath and call it a night. On Thursdays and Fridays however, when he came home, the children were asleep, messes were cleaned up, and a handsome man waited for him, always with a smile.

                It was really the best kind of thing to come back home to.

                “You are a magician with children.” Taeyong told Johnny once before sending him off. “I needed this.”

                “I’m sure you did. You look much better now than when I first started working for you.”

                “I do?”

                “Yeah. No offense but when I started you always seemed a bit frazzled, like you haven’t slept in days or something.” Johnny explained. “but now you look so much better. You look happier, and more content.”

                “Yeah. Funny how that happened.” Taeyong smiled, leaning against the doorway. He wanted to run a hand through Johnny’s beautiful hair, he wanted to kiss those pouty lips, and he wanted so badly to know what it feels like to have someone in your arms again. As usual though, he kept his thoughts to himself.

                “I owe you a lot. Maybe we can go out for a late-night drink or something?”

                “And leave the children at home alone?” Johnny teased. “Is someone getting wild from parenting?”

                “How about I bring him two bottles of beer next time and we can have them at home?”

                “I’d like that.”

                “Cool. It’s a date.”

                “Did you…” Johnny raised an eyebrow. “Say…date?”

                “Uhm…ah…” _shit shit shit shit_ “What I mean was…”

                Taeyong was this close to coming up with a good reason, but all coherent thoughts went down the drain (and down south to his groin) when Johnny bolted up the steps to pull Taeyong in his arms and kiss him.

                “It’s a date.”

******************

                “I’m the one who is getting married.” Doyoung rolled his eyes. “I’m the one who is supposed to look like a love sick puppy and stare at my fiancé like he is about to disappear any minute, and here I am feeling like I’m on the edge of a bungee platform and all I want to do is strangle my future husband because he insists on dancing to 24K Magic instead of Beautiful for our first dance. Why are you the one looking like a bride?”

                “Huh?”

                “Oh my god who the hell are you? What planet are you from and I demand you to give me back my best friend I NEED HIM FOR MY WEDDING!!”

                “Shut up Doyoung.” Taeyong shoved him roughly, nearly knocking him off his chair. His face was a little pink from the teasing, and there was no way Doyoung was going to let him get away from it.

                “It’s this baby sitter eh? Looks like he is doing more than just winning the hearts of children. Apparently he seduces their single parents too.”

                “If you have met him you’ll know what I mean.” Taeyong smiled absentmindedly, fingers ghosting over envelopes that were meant to store invitations. “Even my children love him.”

                “I know, he’s close to perfection.”

                “It’s been so long since she died.” Taeyong sighed. “I’ve been doing things on my own all this time. I forgot how nice it was to have someone help you. To have someone wait for you to come home. To share laundry duties and tuck children into bed. To take turns feeding the baby. To talk about grown-up issues other than was the red Power Ranger better than the blue one.”

                “You have really fallen for him, haven’t you?” Doyoung asked.

                “Maybe.” Taeyong bit his lip. _Have I? Have I really fallen for him?_

                “Tae, your phone.” Doyoung nudged him as Taeyong’s cell phone vibrated against the table.

                “Hello?” Taeyong answered. Seconds later, his nostrils flared and his eyes went red. “I’ll be there ASAP.” He said, grabbing his keys and getting up from the table.

                “What’s wrong?”

                “It was Johnny. Jisung is in the hospital!”

******************

                When Taeyong was a little boy, he broke his arm falling off his bicycle and was rushed to the hospital. His mother cried when she saw him in a cast while Taeyong was still whining about how he could have won the bicycle race ‘if his damn bike was just a little faster’.

                As he raced to the hospital at top speed, he finally understood why his mother cried. To a parent, the notion of your child being in pain or getting hurt, is the worst possible kind of pain or fear. Taeyong’s hands were shaking as he parked the car with Doyoung and Jaehyun with him. He rushed over to the hospital and raced to the front desk, panting hard.

                “Excuse me, have you seen a baby named…”

                “DADDY!!!” Jaemin, Jeno and Chenle all ran to hug their father.

                “Oh my babies.” Taeyong kissed them all, carrying Chenle in his arms. “What happened? Where’s Johnny and Jisung?”

                “They are in the doctor’s office. I don’t know what happened.” Jaemin sniffed, his eyes brimming with tears. “Jisung couldn’t stop crying and he was getting so loud. Johnny hyung said he may be sick so we came here.”

                “Daddy is Jisung going to die?” Jeno asked, his voice small and weak.

                “No of course not.” Taeyong shook his head, tucking Chenle’s head into the crook of his neck as the younger sucked his thumb, still shaking in Taeyong’s arms. “He will be okay.”

                “Daddy we’re scared.”

                “I know. I’m scared too.” The twins were old enough to remember the hospital. Their mother was here, and one day while they ran to show her their new toys, she never responded to them calling her.

                “Come on kids,” Jaehyun and Doyoung each took a child in their hands. “Let’s go get something to eat and we’ll come back. Jisung will be okay.”

                Taeyong waited and waited outside the doctor’s office, with Chenle in his arms. Thank God the boy was too young to understand what was going on, and he was fast asleep in his arms. Taeyong slowly laid Chenle down on the sofa beside him, taking off his coat and draping it around his son to make sure he wasn’t cold.

                “Johnny!” Taeyong almost banged into Johnny as he stood up and rushed to where he was with Jisung in his arms. “What happened?”

                “It’s nothing to worry about, just a mild ear infection.” Johnny smiled, patting Jisung’s thigh softly as he cradled the toddler in his arms. “He was crying and developed a fever, but the doctor gave him a shot and he should be fine now.”

                “Oh thank you. Thank you so much.” Taeyong was so close to crying as he took Jisung in his arms. “Thank god you are okay. My baby…”

                “I’m sorry I had to rush you like this.”

                “Johnny,” Taeyong looked up, tears brimming his eyes. “Thank you. I…I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

                Johnny smiled, pulling Taeyong in his arms, with the baby between them. “It’s fine. Everything is okay.”

******************

                “I want you all to be on your best behaviour. Jaemin, go clean up your toys and Jeno, help me check on Chenle in the living room.”

                “Daddy,” Jeno asked, tugging onto his father’s pants. “Are we really not going to see Johnny hyung anymore after this?”

                “Well,” finally the day has come. Johnny’s last day as their baby sitter. “You can still see him as friends.”

                “Daddy, can Johnny hyung live with us forever?”

                “Would you like that?”

                “Yes! Chenle loves his stories and he plays basketball with me! Jaemin likes his jokes and I’m sure even Jisung likes him! Daddy, can you please ask Johnny hyung to stay with us forever?”

                “Jeno,” Taeyong chuckled. “If I do that, I would have to ask him to marry me.”

                “Can YOU?!?!?! PLEASE?!?!?!?!”

                “Jeno!” Taeyong laughed loudly. “Go get your brother.”

                “Daddy…”

                “We’ll talk about it later, I promise.”

******************

                “It’s your last day with the children, and I see they gave you the full treatment.”

                “Yeah,” Johnny laughed, looking at himself in the mirror. “Peanut butter stains from Jisung, a paper hat from Chenle, a ribbon necklace from Jaemin and a winged cow paper badge from Jeno.”

                “They do love you.” Taeyong teased. “In fact, they asked me to marry you.”

                “Are you going to give me a ring?” Johnny’s eyes gleamed playfully. “Your son has a lot of candy rings, you could always ask him.”

                “Stop it.” Taeyong laughed. “But uhm...Doyoung’s wedding is next week and I need a date. I’m not asking you to marry me, but is coming to one close enough?”

                “I’ll settle, but only for now.” Johnny turned around to pull Taeyong closer, kissing him gingerly. “You know this would be our first real date?”

                “Out of the house and without the children.” Taeyong nodded. “God this is going to be good.”

                “I can’t wait. In fact, I’m going to kiss you again because I’m so impatient.”

                Suddenly, a loud thump was heard from the stairs. Then, a scurry of feet making its way up and into a room.

                “JENO!!! JAEMIN!!!”      

                Those little feet were too fast for them as Jeno and Jaemin fell back onto their beds and ducked under the covers. They waited for a few minutes and once they knew their father was not coming up, they giggled at each other as they took flashlights from under the bed and shone it under their faces.

                “Did you see that?!!” Jaemin giggled in delight.

                “I did!! Johnny hyung kissed daddy!”

                “Do you think they will get married? Will we have Johnny hyung as another daddy?”

                “Maybe, I hope so…Johnny hyung really likes daddy.”

                “Remember the time Chenle asked if Johnny hyung would marry daddy and Johnny hyung said only if daddy wants to marry him?”

                “And then he said daddy is the prettiest person in the world.” Jeno kicked the sheets with his small feet in excitement. “I can’t wait to have another daddy!”

                “Me too! It’s going to be so much fun with all 6 of us!”

                “I can’t wait to play basketball with Johnny hyung again!”

                “Why?” Jaemin teased. “So that you can impress Renjun from next door again?”

                “Shut up Jaemin!!”

                “YOU TWO BRATS BETTER BE ASLEEP OR I’M COMING FOR YOU!!!”

                “Uh oh.”

**Author's Note:**

> tell me if you would like more of these kinds of stories! I really do enjoy writing them, and I hope you all like reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them!


End file.
